Cong targets Vijayvargiya, walk out

CONGRESS STAGED a walkout following heated exchange between the Opposition and treasury benches over the allegation that the Government is trying to shield a minister in connection with the fake muster roll employees scam in Indore.

CONGRESS STAGED a walkout following heated exchange between the Opposition and treasury benches over the allegation that the Government is trying to shield a minister in connection with the fake muster roll employees scam in Indore.

Earlier, the Opposition found dropped minister Dr Gaurishankar Shejwar on its side in grilling Urban Administration and Development Minister Jayant Mallayya over a question raised by Leader of Opposition Jamuna Devi. Sajjan Singh Verma was not satisfied with the minister’s reply during the Question Hour that reports had been lodged with the police in connection with the fake muster roll employees.

The Congress member sought to know what action has been taken in the case and against the then additional commissioner Dhuldhoye who was allegedly involved in the scam and got a shop allotted for himself at Maharaja Complex. Verma also sought to know who was mayor of Indore at that time when the scam took place. His target was obviously PWD Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya who was Mayor, Indore at the time.

The Congress’ member’s comment that the government was shielding ‘a minister’ triggered off verbal duel between the two sides. Vijayvargiya and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Narottam Mishra rose and countered the Congress allegations.

Later, the Congress members staged a walkout. Earlier, in reply to a question from Jamuna Devi, Jayant Mallayya denied that land in the vicinity of chemical factories in Pithampur was rendered barren because of the pollution caused by the factories.

He said whenever there was any report regarding pollution caused by the factories the pollution control board took action against the erring factories. The factories had got their own treatment plant and using the water coming out from the treatment plant. However, the government has also decided to set up a treatment plant where the polluted water would be treated, he assured.

Former minister and Uma Bharti acolyte Dr Gaurishankar Shejwar sought to know from the minister what were the chemicals found in the effluent and how it was harmful to people, animals and the atmosphere. As Mallayya talked of treatment plants and the pollution board’s action Shejwar repeated his question aggressively causing an embarrassment to the treasury bench.

When Mallayya told that the question did not arise from the main question Shejwar told the Speaker that if he ruled that the question was irrelevant he would apologise and withdraw his question.